The root canal couldn't be performed that day. The pulp kept bleeding. So they would have needed to do it in 2 stages of surgery. Then when they were cleaning his only remaining upper carnassial (it had looked OK previously on X-ray, and they also thought it was fine at these x-rays) that one needed a root canal also. His two outer incisors each had complicated crown fractures (one had been previously x-rayed but had deteriorated). Plus they found a piece of tooth root left behind from a local vet who previously extracted his other upper carnassial after a huge slab fracture.

So the total estimate for the two-stage surgery and x-rays, with 2 root canals and 2.5 extractions + cleaning was nearly $3800. Plus follow-up sedated x-rays on the two root canals in 2-3 months so over $4000.

Yikes. So I begrudgingly had to do extractions. Of all these teeth. My beautiful boy is missing an upper canine now and his smile looks ridiculous, but I didn't have the funds to do nice dental work. He doesn't care of course but I felt so awful, and that despite brushing and mouth-checking he needed extractions. I guess he just needs annual dental x-rays and when my vet says he doesn't need a dental I should just push for the x-rays anyway?

The worst part was driving there on Friday expecting to pick him up since he'd been there since Thurs AM. The surgeon was STILL IN SURGERY and B had been under anesthesia from a little before 1PM til then and he still wasn't done. Booker chews on things like most of our pit bulls but I don't consider him a "power chewer" like many bullies I've met. But apparently he chews enough that his gums were more fibrous, less soft and vascularized, from all that chomping/battering. So the surgeons were having difficulty suturing up his gums and wouldn't have been done for a while. They wanted to keep him overnight for a 2nd night so he could recuperate there and get plenty of fluids. I went home, cried, went back the next day to get him. He was under anesthesia for so, so long that I don't even want to think about it.

Phew.

It was all very expensive but less than the 2 root canals.

The surgeon loved him. He is from Norway where pit bulls are banned, but he had taken home a blue tri girl from the shelter he worked at even though he knew he'd have to put her to sleep once her hold was up. He had tons of pictures of her and she was like the girl blue version of B. Gah. So when I got there on Saturday, he had Booker with him in his office. So cute! He also does work against BSL. I'm not sure if he's single, hah.

B's face is more rumply now. Yet he still wants to chew tennis balls to a gummy froth and soothe himself on a Nylabone and fall asleep. Sorry, buddy. Not til I make this money back. He was his affable and tolerant self and his teeth and tough gums and the x-rays taught and will continue to teach many vet students. So OK.

His sutures are almost gone and this week I should be able to resume brushing his teeth.

Awww poor Booker.. But they adapt quickly, don't worry. It takes more time for us humans to adapt to seeing our dogs with less teeth Brina has more than half of her upper jaw without teeth, plus some on her lower jaw are missing also. And she goes in at the end of this month to have at least one more tooth extracted, probably more than that. But I don't think she even noticed anything is missing

Thank you both. He's a pretty silly dog already, and now his thick upper lip gets stuck on his lower canine frequently since there's no upper canine. Oh dear. It's definitely extra goofy. Heh. He's doing well, he's pretty pathetic looking when I have to flush the sutures with CET rinse since food gets stuck in them, but otherwise seems totally like his usual dorky self now. Giving him treats is much different; it seems he is much toothier. So we'll have to work on that.

I want to get the x-rays e-mailed to me so I can show you guys. His roots were almost barbed, they had almost a "hook" or curve at the ends. The dentist said it's from chewing... this all makes me really want to see dental x-rays of dogs that REALLY chew a ton and chew hard, I know there are Kong destroyers and antler eaters.